Roofing method and apparatus



Aug. 16, 1960- c. c. FIGGE RooFING METHOD AND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed DBO. 27, 1955 INVENToR: CARROLL C F/GGE Aug i6, 1960 c. c. FIGGE 2,949,206

RooFING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Dec. 27, 1955 2 sheets-shewL 2y A/IOO //02 $6 20 II 'ell Ill" I i HIGH l y ,007 ,34 Le f 9 20 mn mmm INVENToR: CALL C F/GGE ATT'Y RooFiNG MErHoD AND APPARATUS Y Carroll C. Figge, Batavia, Ill. (31s W. Madison, st., chicago, nl.)

Y Fired Dec. 27, 1915s, ser. No. 555,636

6 Claims.' (C1. 2116-20) This invention relates in generalto the application of a lower bituminous layer, feltrooflng material in over- Iappingfstrips, `an upper bituminous layer, a continuous and single operation, and to an apparatus for accomplishing this result.

I-t has heretofore been the practice to apply a roof covering byiirst laying a number of sheets of felt in continuous overlapping relation, cement-ing them together and to the roof deck, and thereafter as a separate 'and distinct operation to apply a top coating of bituminous material in which mineral aggregate is imbedded and applied to the overlapping sheets. Oliten times the application of the mineral coating may be delayed for several days or at least until the overlapping layers have become cold, if they are applied with hot asphalt during which time the seams may open, the felts may Wrinkle 'and mineral or other material may get under the lap edges -to impair the seal.

In the present invention, the upper or exposed lap edges of the sheets or layers are coated with an adhesive even before the cementing material for the layers has hardened which assures complete welding of the seams and the mineral coating is simultaneously applied following the adhesive coating of the lap edges which completes the roof in one operation by the welding of the coating material applied to the upper or exposed lap edge only instead of to the entire Width of the sheet or layer which is applied at thattime. l

An important object of the invention visvto provide a new and improved method of applying a roof of, the laminated layer and top coa-ting type, complete in one operation.V g

A further object of the invention is to apply a mineral covering layer to a laminatedv Yroof mat at the same time the last layer is applied and to cover the net amount of the `overlap at the upper edge fof the last lap only.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of rooiing in which successive plies of rooting material are cemented to a kroof deck in overlappingrelation and a top coating is appliedover the overlapping edge of the lastV ply, rthereby welding it to the remainder of the cover at the same time that the last sheet is applied s o that a roof is always completed tothe extent of application ofthe last layer. l

YStill a further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which simultaneously applies a strip of'roong and also applies a sheet of cover material over one edge of the strip applied to the roofing.

y A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which has means for applying a strip of rooting to a roof deck and also has means to apply a cover coating to the overlapping edge of this lstrip in either direction of movement of the apparatus relative to the length of thestrip. Y. u 4

A further object of the invention is -to provide an apparatus having means for carrying a roll of roofing mate.- rial and cementing it in place on a roof deck and upon Cia underlying plies of the material, and means for applying a cover coating of mineral for a portion of the width of the strip of rooting at the same time and sealing the exposed edge of the strip.

Further objects of the invention are to provide meansr for leveling the Iapparatus upon an roof deck for spreading `adhesive for strip roong; for applying the rooting to the adhesive under tension; for subsequently -applying an,

adhesive coating overlapping one edge and a portion of the roofing strip as it is being applied; and thereafter ap-v plying a mineral coating to the adhesive on top of the strip sealing the lap edge of the strip.`

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specication and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. l is a plan view of fa roof showing an apparatus and illustrating the method in which it is applied in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus in accordance with Fig. 1 showing some of the parts in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the apparatus in accordance with this invention as taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 with some of the parts broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a roof covering as applied to a roof deck in accordance with this invention;

Y Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of an `apparatus in accordance with this invention having a modified adhesive feed, as taken on the line S-S of Fig. 6; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 5, with parts broken away `and in section; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of part of the adhesive feeding means shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

ln carrying out this invention, a single machine is loaded with roofing material, adhesive and a coating inaterial and may be mowed manually or by motor over a roof deck to be covered, and as it is s0 moved, the roof will be completed, sealing all lapped and exposed edges' 'as the machine is moved, and up to the last of such movement, leaving only a portion of the last layer which is Anot completely covered by the coating material, but' may be finished by hand or in an operation separate from this machine.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a waterfproof and protective roof covering is applied to a -roof deck 10 by cementing a plurality of strips 12 of roofing material to the roof deck and to each other in overlapping relation by means of an adhesive coating 13 at the bottom ofy the strip and extending the full width thereof and then applying an adhesive coating 14 on top of a portion of the strips and applying a protective coating 16 if desired to theadhesive coating 14.

As heretofore practiced, these operations have been manual and separate, the strips being rst adhesively applied to the deck in overlapping relation to the other strips and after the application of all for a portion of the layers, a batch `of adhesive coating was applied to anV area and after this application, a protective coating 16 of gravel, cinders or other mineral material was applied to the outer adhesive coating as a separate or batch operation. Sometimes these loperations were hours and even days apart and the overlying strips which are usually apmaterial.

plied with a hot bituminous adhesive are cooled or become set before the outer adhesive coating and the protective coating are applied. In this manner, the edges of the uppermost coatings may become torn or projections maybe lodged underthem which tend to puncture. or destroy the waterproofing protection 'afforded by the roofing strips and when the outer adhesive and protective coatings are applied, the projecting edges may not be properly cemented down and applied to the rooting'` f* i Ice Patented Aug. 16, 1960 Y e 2,949,206 Y In the present invention, the roofing strips 12 are apv plied in overlapping relation, an adhesive coating 13 is applied to the under side of each strip for its full width and at the same time, an adhesive coating is applied on top of this strip being laid -for a portion of the width thereof and overlying the uppermost edge of the last strip to which a protective coating of gravel or other material is applied covering the upper lapping edge of the last strip so that it is welded in place if the coating material is in hot condition and the roof is completed `in one operation simultaneously up to the amount of overlap of the last strip.

In considering `the amount of overlap, the width of a roofing strip may be taken as approximately 36" so that for three thicknesses of rooting material, the net amount of overlap of each added strip will be approximately onethird of 36 or 12; for an overlap of four layers, the approximate net overlap will be approximately 9 etc.

As shown in Fig. 4, the strips have a one-third overlap and the thickness of the main portion of the rooing is three layers of strips 12. In commencing thefirst, second or third layers of a roof and likewise in finishing the last two or three layers of a roof, some manual operation may be necessary but by employing a continuous operating apparatus as described and shown herein, a large area of roof can be covered and completed at each operation in which the strips 12, the adhesive 13 and 14, and the protective coating `16 are applied continuously and simultaneously.

An apparatus for carrying out this method and operation comprises a wheeled supporting frame 18 in which each wheel 20 is individually adjustable in a wheel mounting 22 attached -at the under side of the frame and having an axle 24 engaged by upper and lower adjusting screws 26 and 28 so that the height of each wheel may be varied in its mounting 22. This adjustment is valuable for maintaining the frame 18 in different spaced horizontal positions with respect to the roof deck depending upon whether the covering is composed of a single layer or many layers of material. This permits adjustment of the wheels on one side of the frame to run on the roof deck and the wheels on the other side of the frame to run on top of the applied layers so that the roofing materials are evenly applied as the Wheeled frame is moved over a roof deck in one direction or the other.

Supported at opposite sides of the frame 18 are bearings 32 for receiving a transverse shaft 34 upon Which a roll 36 of roofing paper, felt or other material is mounted so that a continuous strip 38 of the roofing material may be discharged from the roll 36 as the frame is`moved over a roof deck in the direction of the arrow as shown in Figs. l and 2.

In advance of the roll 36 and mounted in the frame 18 by suitable framing or cross pieces 40 is a receptacle 42 for which may be graduated in width from the bottom to the top and constructed of suitable metal or other material for containing an adhesive 44 preferably hot bituminous material commonly used for cementing roofing upon roof decks. At the bottom is a suitable valve (or valves) 46 for controlling the discharge of adhesive 44 from the receptacle 42 preferably for the full width of the strip 38, but valso distributing less than the full width if a number of valves 46 are employed.

A number of spreaders 48 are mounted between the receptacle 42 and the roll 36 which are connected to a cross piece 50. These spreaders engage the adhesive as it is discharged from the receptacle 42 and distribute the adhesive more evenly for engagement with the under side of the strip 38 from the roll 36. The height of the spreaders is controlled by supports 52 attached at each side of the cross piece 50 and each having a wing nut 54 for adjustably attaching it to one of the cross pieces 40 of the wheel frame adjacent to the roll 36 and extending transversely of the frame 18 is -a pressing device which may lbe in the form of a brush 56 extending the full width of a strip 58 and engaging the upper surface thereof. This brush may be supported by two or more upwardly extending rods 58 extending into a sleeve 60 closed at its upper end, the sleeve being supported by a cross piece 62 in the frame 18 and each sleeve having an extended coil spring 64 engaging the upper end of the sleeve at one end, surrounding the rod 58 and bearing on a projection or collar 66 mounted near the lower end of the rod. The arrangement of the brush and its mounting is such that it is pressed yieldingly against the upper surface of a strip 38 for sealing it more smoothly in the adhesive 13 at the under side of the strip as it is applied to a roof deck, and any strips which it overlaps.

Another adhesive receptacle 68 is mounted in the wheeled frame 18 by means of cross pieces 70. It may also be tapered toward the bottom and connected to the adhesive receptacle 42 by a transfer duct 72 which provides a wide passageway for the free movement of the adhesive from one receptacle to the other. At the bottom of this receptacle 68 are three discharge portions 74, 76 and 78, the two side portions 74 and76 covering a limited portion at each edge of a stp 38 which is being laid and overlapping 'the edge, and the discharge portion 75 covering the central portion of the strip. Each of these portions is provided with suitable valves 80 for controlling the discharge and flow of adhesive for that particular discharge opening to which it is applied. In this manner, the discharge of the adhesive can be controlled to cover a limited portion at each side of the strip which is being applied to a roofing and over the edge thereof depending upon the direction of movement of the -apparatus with respect to the strip, and `also permitting application of adhesive to the central portion of the strip if desired.

Attached to the trailing cross piece 70 following the receptacle 68 are spreaders 82 similar to the spreaders 48 supported by rods 84 and adjustable by means of wing nuts 86. With this arrangement, the spreaders may be arranged depending upon which valves 80 are opened at any particular time.

At the rear end of the wheeled frame is a mineral adhesive receptacle 88 for containing sand, ashes, gravel or other mineral aggregate which is applied to the roof as a covering coating. This receptacle is tapered upwardly in size and is mounted in cross pieces 94 of the frame with inclined seating surfaces corresponding to the inclination of the receptacle 88 so that it may be bodily moved from one side to the other of the frame to discharge mineral 4ingredients 92 at the bottom through a suitable valve 94. This receptacle 88 is preferably less in width than the adhesive receptacles 42 and 68 as it is ordinarily intended yto discharge the protective coating I16 over a limited width of the roong material approximately equal to the net amount of overlap of each strip, but applied over the uppermost edge portion of the last strip as it is being applied and partially overlapping the next strip below it as more clearly indicated in Fig. 4.

When the wheeled truck carrying the apparatus is moved in one direction over the rooting as it is applied, the mineral receptacle 88 will be located at one side of the frame A18 and when the movement of the wheeled truck is reversed lin direction in Vapplying the next strip, the mineral receptacle 88 is moved to the other side of the truck as indicated more clearly in Fig. 3.

Instead of having two separate receptacles for the adhesive 44, a single receptacle 96 may be provided for the wheeled frame as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. This receptacle may be mounted in cross pieces 40 as previously explained and has discharge valves 46 at the bottom, the spreaders 48, a roll 36 of roofing material, and a pressure device 56 similar to that previouslyr described.

Instead of the separate receptacle for feeding adhesive on top of the strips as they are cemented in place, discharge pipes 98 are connected into the receptacle 96 at opposite sides of the wheeled truck but at the same vand relatively inner side of the receptacle. These pipes lead to separate discharge casings 100 through control valves casing 100 is a separate central casing 196 which has a charging the adhesive therefrom. Between the side casings '100 is a separate central casing 106 which has a branch pipe 108 leading from o-ne of the other pipes 98 through a valve 110 for separately controlling the supply of adhesive to this central casing. y

With this arrangement, it is also contemplated that two Separate mineral supply receptacles 112 are provided, one at each side of the wheeled frame and in line with the corresponding casing *100 for discharging adhesiveat that side of the frame.

As in the previous arrangement of the parts, spreaders 82 will be located following the adhesive discharge from the casings 100 or 106. This latter arrangement obviates the necessity of a separate adhesive tank and thereby simplifies the apparatus mounted on the wheeled frame to that extent. In reversing the movement of this form, it is not necessary to move the mineral aggregate receptacle from one side of the wheeled frame to the other. If the central casing 106 is used for the application of adhesive in its path, a separate aggregate receptacle may be mounted to discharge between the two mineral supply receptacles 1112 as shown in Fig. 5, but ordinarily this is not necessary as mineral supply from one or both of the receptacles i112 may be discharged from them and manually spread over the adhesive from the central receptacle 106 as desired.

With this latter arrangement of the parts Vas shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the operation is essentially the same as in the operation previously described except that it is somewhat simpler to supply yand control the adhesive applied on top of a strip of roofing as it is being laid in place, and it is not necessary to move the mineral supply of receptacle lfrom one side of the wheeled frame to the other when the wheeled frame is reverse in its direction of movement.

When this apparatus is in use, additional supplies of the adhesive and also the mineral aggregate may be applied to their respective receptacles while the wheeled frame is in motion, or while it is being reversed in direction :at the end of its path. This is commonly done by manually emptying buckets of the material into the receptacles and to prevent splashing and loss of the materials, an anti-splash guard 114 is located near the top of each receptacle extending lengthwise ltherein and curved downwardly from the crown portion at the top leaving spaces at the sides for the material to run down into the receptacle. Each guard is supported at the ends of the receptacle by suitable brackets i116 for holding it firmly in place. With these guards, the materials may be deposited into the tops of the receptacles and they will run down the sides of the guard and against the adjacent sides of the receptacles without causing a splash or discharge of the materials outside of the receptacles which might land on the roof deck and interfere with the proper application of the roofing and its covering.

This invention is not limited to the laying of strips in successive overlapping courses but may be applied to felt strips laid in separate courses overlapping Ia small lamount for each complete layer and then applying one or more other separate layers of this same kind in successive operations. It may likewise be applied to various other strip laying patterns. The adhesive material may be of either hot or cold application, the only requisite being that it ows freely and provides a satisfactory adhesive coating. In some cases, a mineral aggregate is not applied as a cover coating but an adhesive or bituminous coating either of `limited width or the full width of the felt cover strip may Ibe applied. The last sheet of a roof application may be coated on top for its full width and mineral aggregate may be distributed at opposite sides andseparately spread to cover the middle portion if desired. Other patterns `of sheet application and adhesive and cover coating layers are apparent and possible in this method and apparatus. v

While a preferred method of completing a roof cover-v ing in one oper-ation and apparatus for accomplishing this 'has been described in some detail, they should be regarded as illustrations or examples rather than as f limitations or restrictions of the invention, since various changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement ofthe parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. f

I claim:

1. A complete multi-layerv roof laying apparatus for simultaneously finishing a portion of a roof, comprising a iframe, wheels supporting said frame for movement over the surface of a roof to -be covered, a suppont in the frame having a transverse axis for holding a roll of sheet roofing material above the roof surface, means carried by the frame in advance of a roll carried by the support for 4applying a coating of adhesive to a roof surface -below a strip of roofing material as it is discharged from a roll, adhesive supply and applying means carried by the frame following the roll support and laterally displaced so as to extend outwardly beyond and overlapping one edge of a roll of roofing material carried by said support, and surface covering material supply means carried by the frame following the last named adhesive applying means and laterally displaced to extend beyond and overlapping the edge of a roll of rooting material carried by the support arranged so that the surface covering material discharged from its supply means will register with and adhere to the last named adhesive in its path overlying and extending Lbeyond one edge of a roll, thereby applying the covering material simultanee ously to its adhesive on top of the edge of the strip of yroofing material carried in the frame and discharged from the supporti 2. In a roof laying apparatus in accordance with claim 1, the material supply means comprising ya receptacle for a mineral coating and means for applying ya layer of said mineral coating in the path of the adhesive applied by the last named adhesive supply means, as it is applied to a Iroof.

3. In ya roof laying apparatus in accordance with claim 2, including spring pressure means carried by the frame and mounted therein adjacent to and following the roll supporting means -for resiliently engaging the layer of roofing material as it comes from the roll and operative to lapply it with pressure to the adhesive which is spread in the layer below the strip.

4. In a roofing apparatus in accordance with claim 1, the Wheeled frame comprising separate mountings for each wheel for varying the height thereof so that the `frame may be maintained in a predetermined spaced substantially horizontal position on a roof deck independent of the thickness of the rooting materials as applied by the apparatus and over which one side of the wheeled frame is moved in applying them.

5. In a roof laying apparatus in accordance with claim l, the second named adhesive supply and applying means Iand the surface covering material supply means carried by the frame being both of a width less than the width of a roll of roofing material carried by the support, and this Width depending upon the amount of the overlap of the main roll carried by the support so that the surface covering material when applied will join the overlapping strip of surface covering material previously laid, sealing the edges and completely finishing Ia roof with surface covering material up to that point.

6. In a complete multi-rooting apparatus for simultaneously finishing a portion of a roof comprising a wheeled frame movable over the surface of a roof to be covered, a support in the frame having ya transverse axis for holding a roll of sheet roofing material above the roof surface, means carried by the frame in advance of a roll in the support -for applying a coating of adhesive to a strip of rooting material as it is discharged from a roll, adhesive and surface covering material supply and applying means carried by the frame following the roll support and laterally displaceable between a position extending outwardly beyond 4and overlapping one edge of a roll of roofing material in a width less than the Width of the roll of roofing material and a position extending outwardly beyond and overlapping the other edge of a roll of rooting material so that the apparatus may be reversed and moved in either direction for laying successive strips of roofing material, and means for controlling the discharge and application of the adhesive and surface covering material at one edge or the other depending upon 15 2,720,248

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,010,846 Black Dec. 5, 1911 1,324,050 Huckelbery Dee. 9, A1919 1,846,145 Robinson Feb. 23, 1932 2,124,843 Anderton July 26, 1938 2,197,879 Robinson Apr. 23, 1940 2,241,863 Lett May 13, 1941 2,280,579 Hardy Apr. 21, 1942 2,500,583 Smith Mar. 14, 1950 Kipnis Oct. 11, `1955 

